NBA free agency 2024: Early winners, losers, and Clippers? - ESPN

Less than a week into NBA free agency, there's already been massive movement across the league — moves big and small impacting teams close to title contention (hello, Sixers and Knicks!) and… not so much (apologies, Wizards and Pistons).

To recap, so far we've seen Klay Thompson, a cornerstone of the Golden State Warriors' dynasty, pack up for the Dallas Mavericks. The 76ers now have a formidable big three after signing Paul George, while the Knicks brought back OG Anunoby and brought in Mikal Bridges — but at a big cost.

In light of that, we've identified three teams that look to be early winners of free agency, three others who look to be losers — and one club that's given us a collective, «Huh?»

Oklahoma City Thunder
What they've done: Upgraded their perimeter defense; signed a coveted big man

No team improved its immediate title outlook more than Oklahoma City, which added wing defender Alex Caruso via trade with the Chicago Bulls before plucking coveted Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency.

The Thunder, already a top-four defense, added a guard in Caruso who's made the All-Defensive Team each of the past two seasons, and a 26-year-old rim protector who held opposing shooters more than 11.2 percentage points beneath their averages around the basket this past season.

Hartenstein also gives OKC — third-to-last in the NBA offensive-rebounding percentage — a much-needed lift on the glass. He isn't a floor spacer in the way that budding star Chet Holmgren is, and it remains to be seen how well (and how much) those two play alongside one another. But he is a fantastic passer for a big, and he should make great use of all the openings the Thunder offense creates.

Caruso's improved jump shot is a massive boon, as